Church leaders on Monday lauded the outcome of Sunday’s mass demonstrations against corruption, calling it a “miracle” that must be “nurtured.”
“It kindles a moral fire in our hearts to eradicate corruption once and for all,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, lead convenor of the Church Leaders Council for National Transformation. “Let us nurture this miracle until our demands are fully realized. The battle against this despicable evil of corruption shall continue.”
Tens of thousands joined rallies nationwide, particularly at the People Power Monument in Quezon City and Rizal Park in Manila, condemning corruption amid controversies over anomalous flood control projects. Bagaforo expressed gratitude to participants “for standing with us in pursuit of the common good.”
In contrast, CBCP president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David opposed calls, including by TV host Vice Ganda, to reinstate the death penalty for corrupt officials. “The answer to corruption cannot be more death but a deeper reform of justice, one that protects the poor and holds the powerful accountable,” he said.
Meanwhile, San Pascual Baylon Parish in Bulacan announced it will return a pickup truck donated by dismissed DPWH-Bulacan First District engineer Henry Alcantara, who is under investigation for flood control anomalies. The parish said the donation had been accepted in “good faith” to support religious pilgrimages and emphasized that the return reflects the Church’s commitment to justice and integrity.